MTB challenge sorts pedalling doves from cycling hawks
Alex Miller and Michelle Vorster can rightly claim the title Namibian MTB champion after winning the 70 km Nedbank Cycle Challenge Mountain Bike race on Sunday.
The annual race is riden in three divisions covering distances of 15, 30 and 70 kilometres, the first two for amateur cyclists and the longest for serious athletes. The 70-km distance also doubles as qualifier for the continental championships.
Miller’s winning time was 02:55:04, with Tristan de Lange second and Xavier Papo third. Vorster booked a respectable 03:32:17, followed by Irene Steyn second and Marion Schönecke third.
The race, held on Sunday 23 February, attracted more than 500 entries from both amateur and professional cyclists. All routes started and ended at Waldorf School in Avis, Windhoek.
The weekend’s event was the last in the Nedbank Cycle Challenge series. For professional cyclists it formed part of their preparation for the African Continental MTB championship, which will be hosted in Namibia during April.
Officiating at the awards ceremony, Nedbank’s Richard Meeks said “A key reason for Nedbank’s involvement in the promotion of cycling goes beyond the excitement of hosting high-level competitions and events. It goes hand in hand with developing and investing in Namibian cycling. It is for this reason that we have a great appreciation for the Namibian Cycling Federation, who continues to use the Nedbank MTB Challenge to host the national marathon mountain bike championships.”
